Public information film

Public information films (PIFs) are government-commissioned short films, often shown during television advertising breaks in the United Kingdom. The name is sometimes also applied, faute de mieux, to similar films from other countries, but the US equivalent is the public service announcement (PSA). Public information films were commonplace from the 1950s until the 2000s and covered a variety of topics such as fire safety, safer driving and child abuse. Notable charities and campaigns include the NHS, NSPCC, Fire Kills and Think (stylised THINK!). PIFs are still broadcast to this day but are much less common with the closure of the Central Office of Information in 2011. Public information films are notorious for being particularly brutal and frightening as, in the 70s and 80s, many PIFs were shown in school to warn young children on the dangers of playing on farming equipment and railroads.